Disaster warning system

Abstract

A disaster warning system including a weather radio, a tornado acoustic signature detector combined with a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector. The disaster warning system includes a central control unit and peripheral alarm unit, which report the alarm signals generated by the control unit.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION[0001]This invention relates generally to a multi-function disaster warning system especially suited for a personal residence or smaller commercial structure located in a geographic region, where severe weather often occurs.DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART[0002]The constant march of time has brought with it the development of technology that has allowed humans to control much of daily life and subsequently improve the level of health and comfort. Although humans enjoy the control over most of the life on the Earth, the environment and the weather have yet to yield to humans. Across the United States, extreme and dangerous weather is a common occurrence all year long. Even though winter brings frigid temperatures and mountains of snow, summertime brings one of the most ruthless features of weather: the tornado.[0003]The most effective way to protect against the destructive force of a tornado is to get as far away from it as possible. If evading the tornado is not a viab...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The present invention is a disaster warning system ideally suited for a homeowner or small-business owner. As more homeowners request complex security and warning systems, the present invention provides an efficient, adaptable, and effective solution. The control unit includes a weather-radio receiver incorporating Specific Area Message encoding (SAME) technology, which allows a user to fine tune the radio to pick up only locality-specific information from the National Weather Service (NWS). Only when the radio receiver picks up a location-specific broadcast from NWS, the control unit broadcasts the message through the speaker in the control unit.

[0015]The advantages of this disaster warning system include the compact design of a single control unit incorporating a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector, a tornado acoustic signature detector, and a NWS radio receiver. The control unit also has a modular board into which other notification modules can be connected. This allows the user to expand the disaster warning system to include other relevant warning systems. The wireless capability of the peripheral alarm units are advantageous for use in buildings with concrete, steel or designs which limit hardwiring.

Problems solved by technology

Although humans enjoy the control over most of the life on the Earth, the environment and the weather have yet to yield to humans.

Across the United States, extreme and dangerous weather is a common occurrence all year long.

Unlike other dangerous weather systems, like summer hurricanes, tornado formation is very difficult to predict.

Once the funnel has formed, the path followed is extremely erratic.

Although the sirens can produce a piercing and attention-getting noise, the volume quickly decreases over distance and the sound may be cancelled out by other ambient sound.

Additionally, the constant hum of air conditioning units, televisions, and radios squelch the effectiveness of the tornado sirens.

The repetition of false warnings for tornados and severe weather can still create numbness to the warnings.

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